Variables
by Invader-Hime
Summary: MyTrax. Tetrax is having problems programming onboard the Resolute, which Myaxx is able to ameliorate.


Variables

By Chibi Hime

Myaxx blinked her crimson eyes slowly.

There was a steady tapping coming from the opposite side of the room that had been going on steadily for several hours. She sighed and shifted her weight from one side to the other. She leaned on a computer console and supported her head with her hand. One of her tentacles absently twisted around her wrist out of sheer boredom.

Observation might have been a crucial part of the scientific process, but it was one of her least favorite parts of it...especially when sentient life forms were involved...especially when certain sentient life forms were involved...especially when Tetrax Shard was involved. The reasoning behind that was that her control group could not have any variables. Variables made things interesting. Myaxx liked variables.

An error messaged flashed on Tetrax's display for the seventh time that hour and she heard the bounty hunter grumble to himself.

Perhaps it was time that she introduced a few variables to the situation.

The Chimera smiled to herself and absently twirled a tentacle around her finger.

That was infinitely more interesting than watching a bounty hunter tap away for another few hours, even in the interest of science.

With a final twirl of her facial tentacle, she stood up and crossed the room, her footfalls heavy and obvious. She didn't want to him to accuse her of sneaking. She didn't need to resort to that.

"I'm fine you know. I've got this!" the flustered Petro Sapien snapped and soon as she was directly behind his chair.

"Oh, Shard, don't be ridiculous. You've been tinkering with this longer than you should have had to. Now you're just teasing the poor thing," Myaxx cooly commented.

"I most certainly have not! Besides, it must be broken. I've been entering codes for a whole cycle and nothing is working. Looks like we'll have to take it in for service at the next service asteroid we pass," he conceded, sounding embarrassed at being defeated by an inanimate machine.

The Chimera scientist chewed on her lower lip for a moment before leaning down over him. She felt the Petro Sapien pause at her closeness. She made note of how he seemed to always be aware of his surroundings without having an outer membrane similar to flesh. She'd have to look that up later. For the moment, she had other, more pressing matters to attend to.

"Here, let me help you figure it out," Myaxx offered.

She leaned forward and placed a green arm over Tetrax's shoulder and her celadon hand flew over the digital display as she quickly typed a few lines of code into his keypad. Within seconds, a whole new interface had been engaged. Tetrax inwardly groaned. The Petro Sapien could practically hear Myaxx's self-assured smile.

"There. It turns out, you were running the incorrect commands. You just need to...have the right touch," she whispered in a teasingly husky voice as her fingers lightly fluttered over a few keys, errantly brushing against the bounty hunter's blocky fingers.

Tetrax's hand flinched in surprise and he felt the Chimera's crimson gaze on the back of his head.

"Yes. Thank you for your...invaluable assistance. You know..for the life of me, I can't understand why the old Galvan wouldn't give you the credit you...deserve," Tertax paused and swallowed audibly as the scientist leaned over him as she reached for another row of keys on the display.

A few of her tentacles flopped unceremoniously across his head and the bounty hunter was forced to rearrange his posture to break the contact. Unfortunately, nothing he did served to suit his purposes, rather, he ended up in an even more awkward position with

"What's wrong, Shard?" Myaxx asked, with a hint of mirth present in her voice.

Tetrax did his best not to stutter indignantly.

"Why...why nothing it is just that...your...you are...they're a little distracting," he ended

"Oh? Are they really? I'm so sorry," Myaxx sarcastically snapped as she continued working.

Tetrax couldn't help but feel increasingly uncomfortable in his current position.

"Are you done yet?" he asked impatiently.

The Petro Sapien heard the Chimera shift her weight and he knew she had adopted her usual, canted stance, complete with one of her hands placed jauntily on her hip. He didn't even have to look. He knew she always did that whenever she had him bothered. Tetrax felt a few of her tentacles wrap teasingly around the top of his head. He hadn't even been aware that she could move them in such a way. The bounty hunter sighed.

"You know, a girl could get the wrong impression from a question like that," she commented dryly as her left tentacle pulled into a tight grip on the groove in his cheek.

Tetrax sputtered and Myaxx wagered if he was capable of blushing, he would have right then...and it would have been hilarious.

"I'm just helping, you know," she reminded him.

"Helping yourself? Feeding your ego?" he snapped, obviously flustered at her contact.

"Oh, calm down. It's nothing, just years of experience, study, and practice with things a more physically inclined being like yourself wouldn't have the patience for," Myaxx snarked.

Her tentacles didn't move from their place.

She heard the Petro Sapien sigh, relenting at last.

"I'm grateful for those years of experience, study, and practice, you know. I don't have the patience for it....but I'm glad you do," he admitted.

"Really? You are? You could have fooled me," the Chimera said, slowly pulling her facial tentacles free.

"And I'm sorry about that. You were just trying to help...and were trying my already spent patience. How can I make it up to you?" Tetrax asked.

Myaxx smiled.

"I can think of a few things you can do," she answered coyly.

"I'm sure you can. How about we start with drinks on OhCaiasphere Seven, my treat?" the bounty hunter offered.

The Chimera's tentacles curled at the ends a little with excitement.

"Why, that sounds like a lovely start. Shall we go?" Myaxx responded, fluttering her crimson eyes teasingly and offering Tetrax her bent arm.

"Indeed. Let's leave this annoying piece of scrap to itself for awhile." Tetrax concluded, taking her arm in his while standing on his tip toes.

Together, they left the room and headed towards the smaller shuttle bay.

Myaxx grinned inwardly. Sometimes it really did pay to introduce a few variables to a situation.


End file.
